Caged Beauty
by HenriaSownbinder
Summary: Draco feels guilt and Luna is still calm. They are just doing their best to survive this awful time. Just surviving.


_**A/N: And this is part four and the final part. This plunny has not left the station. (I am pretty sure anyway.)**_

 _ **Part 1 - After Curfew**_  
 _ **Part 2 - Midnight Corridors**_  
 _ **Part 3 - Empty Classrooms**_

 _ **They can all be found on my page.**_

 _ **Tell me what you think!**_

 _ **Happy Reading**_

 _ **Henny, that Lucky Penny!**_

* * *

She was not hurt.

They had not harmed her when they apprehended her at the train station.

That much was a saving grace for the monsters who laid hands on her. It could be that upon their arrival, Luna Lovegood did what she always did. Asked if they wanted her to inspect for wackspurts because she sensed that they were infested with them. Confusion marred Rowle and Dolohov's features, but they did as they were bade and aparated with the girl to Malfoy Manor. Upon their entranced, Luna spoke softly about a Nargle infestation and further confused the two Death Eaters. They just brought her to the dungeons and placed her in a cage.

The fact that they didn't use any kind of unnecessary force helped Draco Malfoy breathe easy when he visited the first time.

Fingertips lightly touched through the bars. Draco felt guilty beyond repair and Luna smiled like she had meant to end up here. She wasn't angry at her father. She wasn't depressed about her accommodations. Luna barely blinked at the cold, iron bars as she watched the guilt eat away at Draco's emotions.

"No need to cry about me, love." Luna murmured as she rested her forehead against the bars. Draco took a shuddering breath.

"Why didn't your father just write what he needed to write?" Draco whispered angrily as tears formed in the corner of his eyes.

"Because we are not people who can be told what to do unless we feel it is right. To write about The Dark Lord positively is not what my father believed. He just has to keep faith that I can take care of myself. I am a very competent witch, Draco. I will survive." Luna replied as she leant forward to place feather kisses on Draco fingertips. The light touches felt comforting, "I saw it in the stars."

"Oh, Luna." Draco breathed.

He retracted his fingers from the bars and with a last look into Luna's silver irises, he left the dungeons to spend some time with his parents for the Hols.

The second time, Mr. Ollivander had been awake and watched the boy suspiciously. Draco was uneasy, but he had brought Luna some extra rations. Garrick didn't like him conversing with the soft-spoken girl. Draco feared that the old wandmaker would tell another Death Eater that he had been visiting Luna. But the pull of the girl was too much to make him stay away.

Her soft touches and light kisses kept him coming. And no number of suspicious looks from Garrick Ollivander would stop him.

Until Dean Thomas joined the little group after getting Snatched.

He had been resting the first time that Draco came down. It was a couple of days before he needed to return from Winter Hols. He had wanted to make sure that Luna was comfortable. Seeing Dean Thomas asleep by the fire had been alarming. But Luna assured Draco that all was well and that he would be right as rain after she was able to heal him. Draco was dubious only because he knew the Gryffindor would overreact. But he still stayed a few minutes to exchange words with the dirty blonde before he went back upstairs.

When it was time for Draco to prepare for school again, he came down with some biscuits for Luna. Dean was awake and Luna had been tending his swollen eye with cool water. For recently being beaten, Dean moved with a quickness. He was able to knock the biscuits out of Luna's hands and pushed his own battered body in front of hers to protect her.

Draco took a small step back and Dean puffed out his chest.

"You stay away from her, you bastard!" Dean snarled through a fat lip. Luna was gently tugging on the hand that was holding her back in an attempt to get Dean to listen to her.

"I'm not trying to harm her, Thomas." Draco tried pathetically. He couldn't defend his relationship with Luna if Dean wasn't willing to see reason. And he was very unreasonable, "Just let me say farewell and I will be gone."

"No!" Dean snapped loudly.

Draco knew when he couldn't win. This was that time. He looked past Thomas and into Luna's eyes. He tried to tell her that he would be back for Easter and he would hopefully see her then. He could only say it all in his mind. He only hoped she understood when he turned on his heal and left without another word.

Luna chided Dean softly that night, but nothing more came of it. She knew Dean was very lost and scared at the moment and he felt like he had been doing something right. And no one was hurt. Luna just didn't get her biscuits. And while they were her favorites, she could live without them. She just concentrated on healing Dean and taking care of Garrick. Which was going marvelously. Dean's cuts and bruises healed over nicely and Garrick woke each day breathing. Luna felt very accomplished.

It had been months since they had had any contact. House elves had been tasked with bringing their food and water. And they were not allowed to talk. Griphook had been placed in the dungeon with them a month or so into their capture. But he had been brought in without a fuss. So, when Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley appeared in their cell, it was a bit of a shock. Well, Luna was as shocked as Luna could be.

The escape was smooth. Going back to Hogwarts was as good as it could be. Hiding in the Room of Requirement was entertaining. It gave Luna all the time to study different charms and also defensive spells. She also joined study groups with the older students. She wanted to be prepared. And she was going to be prepared.

The battle was over and Luna joined her father back at their cylindrical house to help with repairs. She also would floo into the Ministry on the days that Draco had to attend court. Because she wasn't going to miss seeing him being let off of some charges. And especially when Harry said that they were going to be calling her on to the floor as a witness, she made sure she was there and wearing a smile for Draco to see.

It took Draco some time to shake the feeling of guilt. He couldn't look into her silver irises without his stomach churning and he couldn't hear her voice without shivering. She repeated that it wasn't his fault. She kept assuring him that she was not hurt and she was safe and she was whole. But Draco couldn't believe it. He couldn't sit there with her looking at him with adoration while he knew what had happened.

But he did let it go.

Draco did let it go.

And their wedding night was just as magical and beautiful as the first time they had laid together. And for the second time in his life, Draco felt whole. And Luna Lovegood was mesmerizing and elegant and gorgeous. And she was his. And he felt whole.


End file.
